Back-to-school shopping brings enough to think about without discovering your child’s new shoes do not actually fit. With feet growing quickly over the summer, many parents are left guessing whether to stick with last year’s size or go up before term starts.
Julian Nelson from A Fine Pair Of Shoes says it is a step families often skip. “Children’s feet can change quite a lot over the summer, so I would not recommend simply buying the same size they had last year,” he says. “It is worth taking a few minutes to check their feet before buying new shoes, particularly if you are ordering online.”
How to measure your child’s feet at home
The check itself only takes a few minutes and needs nothing more than a piece of paper and a pencil. Get your child to stand naturally on the paper with their full weight on their foot, then draw around it. Do this for both feet, as it is completely normal for one to be slightly bigger than the other.
Once you have the outline, measure from the back of the heel to the tip of the longest toe. You can then use this measurement against the sizing information for the shoes you are looking to buy.
Timing matters too. “Try to measure their feet towards the end of the day,” Nelson says. “Feet can swell slightly after we have been walking around, so this gives you a more realistic idea of the space they will need in their shoes.”
It can be tempting to size up so shoes last longer, but Nelson warns against it. “Bigger is not always better,” he says. “If the shoe is too loose, the foot can move around inside it, and that can be just as uncomfortable as wearing something too small.” If one foot measures longer than the other, always use the larger foot as your guide.
A quick checklist for parents
- Measure both feet, as one can be slightly bigger than the other
- Measure towards the end of the day, when feet can be a little larger
- Make sure they are standing up, as feet measure differently when sitting
- Measure heel to longest toe, rather than guessing from their current size
- Avoid automatically buying a size up
- Use the measurement as a guide, especially online, but consider a professional fitting if unsure
With the school run just around the corner, a couple of minutes checking your child’s feet now could save a last-minute scramble to return ill-fitting shoes later.
For more sizing guidance, visit A Fine Pair Of Shoes.
